General Information/Peer Review
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is committed to applying rigorous scientific standards to ensure the accuracy and reliability of research results. For scientific and technical documents, the scientific community recognizes peer review as the primary means of quality control. HRSA routinely seeks the input of highly qualified peer reviewers on the propriety, accuracy, completeness, and quality (including objectivity, utility, and integrity) of its materials. Although the specific application of peer review throughout the scientific process may vary, the overall goal is to obtain an objective evaluation of scientific information from fellow scientists. To encourage the use of peer review of official Government scientific information disseminated by a Federal agency, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued guidelines creating standards for peer review. The OMB Bulletin for Peer Review (PDF - 262 KB) are part of a broader effort under the 2001 Information Quality Act (Public Law No. 106-554, Section 515[a] (PDF)), to ensure the quality of all information disseminated by Federal agencies.
Information Quality Guidelines
HRSA has developed information quality guidelines to maintain the high quality of the information it provides to the public. These guidelines include administrative mechanisms for affected parties to seek corrections to noncompliant information provided by the agency. Since the influence and implications of disseminated information cannot always be fully anticipated, all HRSA scientific reports are expected to state clearly and specifically how the results are generated – data used, assumptions made, analytic methods, statistical procedures, sources of error – so that the analysis is sufficiently transparent.
Relevant Guideline Documents
- OMB Information Quality Guidelines (February 22, 2002)
- OMB Information Policy
- OMB – Improving Implementation of the Information Quality Act: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF - 327 KB) (December 2023)
- HHS Information Quality Guidelines
- HRSA Information Quality Contact (for requests to correct information that the agency has previously made public)
- HRSA Information Quality Guidelines (link on the ASPE website)
- HRSA Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request webpage
- HRSA policies and procedures to protect human subjects in research programs conducted or supported by HRSA
- More information about HRSA, its programs, and activities is available on the HRSA website
Appeal Requests
If HRSA denies a request to correct information that the agency has previously made public, the requestor may send within 30 days of receipt of the agency’s decision a written request for reconsideration. The request should state the reasons for the appeal and may be sent electronically. Requestors should reference the HRSA response to the original request. If sent by hard copy, requestors should also clearly mark the appeal and the outside envelope with “Information Quality Appeal,” and send the appeal to the following address:
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
HRSA Chief Data Officer
Office of Planning, Analysis, and Evaluation (OPAE)
5600 Fishers Lane, 14N-120
Rockville, MD 20857